Bright Side to Addiction

Is there a bright side to addiction? Yes, there’s a bright side to addiction, if a person gets into recovery and hasn’t done irreparable damage, which is usually not the case. The sooner an alcoholic or drug addict gets into treatment and recovery, the brighter life can become. The good news is that addiction is treatable, and a person in recovery can enjoy a great life that’s as joyous and productive as any non-addict. Some say that a person in recovery from addiction might have a better chance at a productive and happy life than the ordinary person without a problem like addiction.

Many people go through life with very little reflection or self-analysis. As long as there’s no crisis, a person can drift into mediocre existence that’s not necessarily happy, but not a disaster. The person in recovery from addiction had the consequences of addiction to spur them to self-analysis and reflection. I’m not saying that a person needs something like addiction to get their attention so they look at their life, but it usually takes something fairly severe to wake up most people. The addict has the consequences of addiction. When a young person has consequences due to alcohol or some other drug, and the young person realizes they have a serious problem and they get into recovery, this is the best scenario, because they haven’t wasted half their lives — the young person in recovery has decades ahead to build a beautiful life. This is the positive way to look at it.

The sooner a person suffering from addiction can get into treatment and start the change process necessary for recovery, the better – the principles of recovery are the principles that lead to a good life. Perhaps there should be more support groups for people with no particular medical or psychological condition, but who simply need to look at themselves and reassess their path in life. Everyone can benefit from periodic self assessment and looking deeply at where they are in life.